The prior art is replete with apparatus for horizontally dispensing rolls of paper towels and the like. Such dispensers work fine in many situations. There are, however, many situations were it would be desirable to have a dispenser which is capable of dispensing paper towels in a vertical or upright fashion. For instance, space limitations can sometimes make it difficult to install a horizontal dispenser. Moreover, even if a horizontal dispenser can be easily installed, there are many situations where a vertically oriented dispenser would blend in better with the decor of the room in which the dispenser is to be installed. Horizontal dispensers are also generally not very portable.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing a roll of paper towels and the like vertically.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a vertically dispensing paper towel apparatus which is portable, easy to use and generally inexpensive to manufacture.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a vertically dispensing paper towel apparatus which easily accommodates differently sized rolls of paper towels, including rolls having different lengths or heights.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a vertically dispensing paper towel apparatus that stops a roll of paper towels from rotating and unrolling after a paper towel has been torn from the roll.
These and other objects will become apparent from the drawings, specifications and claims appended hereto.